Baby Rabbits Band Together

[n2doc]

by Sean Treacy on 23 March 2012, 3:06 PM




A pile of sleepy rabbit pups isn't just cute—it's good for rabbitkind. Newborn rabbits compete for their mother's milk, and successful pups grow stronger and are more likely to pass on their genes to the next generation. But sibling rivals will put aside their differences to protect each other from the cold, according to a study published this month in PLoS ONE. Using infrared cameras (right) and rooms that slowly cool from 23°C to 11°C, researchers found that when the temperature drops, less-than-5-day-old furless rabbit pups huddle to share heat. Such cooperation, like investors making a joint business venture, comes at a small private cost, as generating heat uses body fat that in turn uses up oxygen, and using too much oxygen can stunt a rabbit's growth. But by sharing heat, rabbits mutually ensure that their siblings don't have to use up too much energy to survive the cold, helping them all live on to contribute to future bunny generations.
http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2012/03/scienceshot-baby-rabbits-band-to.html

[BlueToTheBone]

1. Which to me, indicates Darwin's flaw in his theory of

the survival of the fittest and that competition makes us stronger. Here we see that cooperation is the best way to make all the "family" thrive.

[Warpy]

2. Evolution is an established scientific fact

but it seems the mechanisms for accomplishing it are as varied as epidemic retroviruses and litter cooperation. Random mutations and survival of the fittest would seem to be minor mechanisms, at best, and most suited to surviving in environments other life finds impossible.

[BlueToTheBone]

4. By calling it Darwin's Theory

I didn't mean to in anyway deride evolution. I agree that there are many varied factors, but the competition component is the one that really gets the attention.

[Vincardog]

3. "survival of the fittest" is not the sole determinate. The fittest may be in herds or schools or

flocks, the fittest refers to the best match between environment and genetics.

[Shankapotomus]

5. Doesn't the rabbit experiment

still reinforce Darwin's theory? I mean, those baby rabbits that wouldn't or couldn't cooperate on staying warm had less chance of survival. So isn't the ability to cooperate in groups a further illustration of survival competition?

[Dead_Parrot]

6. ^ this. nt

[4_TN_TITANS]

7. Read the article...

When it comes to food, it's survival of the fittest. When it comes to surviving to BE food later on, it is in the best interests of the stronger offspring to have slower and weaker siblings survive to be picked off first. Nature has a strange sense of humor!